No, our program is specifically designed for founders and early-stage startups who want to leverage the power of AI to solve a problem. There are other more suitable programs available for your case. Check out other programs we offer, like our investment vehicle or startup workshops.

Usually, the most successful startups comprise at least two co-founders who can cover the technical and business bases. If you are an exceptional talent and believe that you have what it takes to start your own business we may make an exception. In addition, we may be able to match you with a suitable co-founder. Get in touch and let’s see if we can help you out.

What we expect from our founders is full commitment to the program and building their startup. If you are working full-time or in the midst of your studies, it will be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of the program. We require that at least one of your co-founders is fully dedicated to the business, ideally all of them.

Our program is designed for aspiring founders and early-stage startups working on AI-related business. The maximum threshold for early-stage teams is: max. 6 employees (incl. co-founders), annual sales volumes of at most 100.000 EUR, and at most 100.000 EUR in equity investment. Grants do not count towards the investment.

As our curriculum is fast-paced and challenging, we expect you to focus solely on AI Founders full-time.

Yes, this is one of our requirements. In order to get the most out of the program, physical attendance is highly preferred During the program, we provide you with accommodation through a living stipend in case you do not live in Heilbronn or the vicinity.

We will be selecting 10-15 teams.

Our selection criteria revolve around the problem you are trying to solve with AI, your product/solution, the innovativeness of your idea and your competition, the size of the market you are addressing, the scalability of the idea, and your business model. Additionally, we will assess whether your team is comprised of a technical and business co-founder and has what it takes to build a successful business in this area. Finally, we will assess to what degree AI is relevant to your solution and whether we believe you are personally a good fit for the program and the community.

After the application deadline, all applications will be reviewed by a diverse team of evaluators, including investors, venture managers, and AI experts. After the evaluation committee meets to discuss the applications, 30 startups will be invited to pitch their idea/startup. After all the pitches, the team will decide which 10-15 teams will be accepted to the program and will inform the teams accordingly by email.

Yes, absolutely! If you’re not selected this batch, don’t worry. Keep refining your idea, stay determined, and feel free to apply again in the future batches. Persistence pays off! Best of luck!

You are expected to receive the first payment of EUR 5,000 at the beginning of the program, the second installment (EUR 10,000) will be paid after you have successfully passed your first milestone review and the last installment (EUR 10,000) will be paid at the end of the program after the second milestone review. 

In order to successfully complete the program, you should take part in our workshops and exchange ideas with our experts. We will of course support you in reaching your milestones. If there are still challenges and you do not reach the milestones, the funding may not be paid out in full.

If you’re accepted into AI Founders, you will be provided with housing. We have fully equipped apartments at Rosenberg Quartier, with easy access to a range of amenities, including shopping centers, restaurants, and cultural attractions.

The program calendar will be filled with various components ranging from workshops, lectures, pitch practice and opportunities to connect with your program peers. If you are spending the day at the Campus Lab, we also expect many community members to drop into Campus Founders Lab at various times throughout the day, giving you opportunity to expand your network. There will also be a ton of community events going on. In general though, you’ll be working on your product each day, just like all of the other founders in the program.

We will be running a number of community events and Q&A sessions before the start of the batch. You may join us there to have your questions answered, so keep an eye on our upcoming events. Alternatively, reach out to Danilson@campusfounders.de for assistance.

The financial assistance of EUR 25,000 offered is a founder-friendly loan provided by our financial partners with limited repayment obligation. The key terms include a milestone-related loan amount, an interest rate of 1% per annum, and a maturity date of until the end of 2026. The loan does not need repayment if the project or business plan is abandoned if our financial partner participates in the next equity financing round, or if given the opportunity to participate but chooses not to.

Please note that these terms are determined by our financial partners and are subject to their modifications.

For additional clarifications, we recommend participating in our weekly Q&A or informational webinars.